Officials of Air Force Reserve Command’s 920th Rescue Wing at Patrick AFB, Fla., tell Florida Today that as many as 40 percent of its pararescuemen will retire over the next two to five years. This is one of the tough-to-pass-the-training battlefield airmen fields that has prompted Air Force recruiters to head to extreme sports events. The usual draw for the unit of three to four new recruits a year, officials tell the newspaper, will no longer suffice. The wing has identified a unit recruiter and painted murals on equipment trailers to help attract attention. (Read the article here.)
The Air Force is requesting about $141 million for initial enlistment bonuses in its fiscal 2026 budget, while Space Force wants $13 million.